Mid Hants Railway Operational Matters

Arrangements at Maiden Newton left something to be desired

 

From my one memory of visiting Maiden Newton, they still do...

 

The Southern Railway had plans to electrify all of their remaining routes except beyond Exeter, but events two years later put paid to that!

 

Fascinating to think how things might have developed if that plan had gone ahead, at a time when The Railway was seen as dying its a great credit to Southern management. I believe it also included 'The Old Road via Wimbourne

 

I'm fairly sure all the bridges between Alton and Winchester were wide enough for two tracks. Was this just standard building practice or was it intended to be twin track at some point after opening?

 

It was pretty common on many lines built as single track

 

Standard practice at the time, as far as I know. The Board of Trade regarded a single line railway as an uncompleted railway - hence having to purchase sufficient land for a double track line. Building double track bridges wouldn't cost much more than single track ones, at least for the scale of bridge works on the Mid Hants. (It might have been a different story if any viaducts had been necessary.) In contrast, excavating cuttings and tipping embankments to double track size would have been a huge increase in cost.
Pat

 

Many lines though were never built to double track dimensions eg Cambrian, Wrington Vale Light Railway, WSR, SVR, etc

 

I was thinking of the Scottish Highland / West Highland lines. I believe the BoT view was that, even if so planned from day 1, single track lines were officially regarded as 'incomplete' (and that remained so until comparatively recently).

 

I suspect that the BoT view may have changed with time.
The West Highland is a bit of an anomaly in that (as I believe it) the land was given to the NBR by the lairds with the condition that it would be returned if the line closed. It was also opened unfenced, with a 40 mph speed limit as a quid pro quo.
Pat

 

Aah .... the rushlit end of UK governance. You couldn't make it up!!

Edit: Come to think of it, much of the Highland's Far North line was granted on similar terms. The Duke of Sutherland even had a private loco and saloon, which did it's thing (under what sort of regs I know not) until nationalisation. The loco and saloon in question are now in the care of Beamish, and the diminutive 0-4-4T is currently under restoration.

 

Or denied us that elusive 3rd rail heritage railway...

 

Its a pity that there are no active 3rd rail electrics allowed on the Mainline now,
One highlight for me years ago was when the NRM'S 2 Bill and 4 Sub worked shuttles between Woking and Alton on one of the gala's

 

The Mid Hants LROs of 1977 and 1985 both specifically forbid the use of electric traction (unless self-generated or battery). I would imagine that there is a similar provision in Bluebell, Swanage, &c. LROs.
Pat

 

That, or it just crossed some raving beauracrat's mind as electrification had been in the news around then. If that's the case, the Bluebell are more likely to be forbidden to use nuclear power!

 

2 EPB 5759 joining the previously mentioned MLVs for the 'diesel' gala

 

Edit to remove duplicate post.

How long has it been since the EPB was out last?

 

The last time it worked I want to say was around 2009? It has been to a few depot open days though

 

Nice to see an update on what’s happening around Ropley on this weeks YouTube video.

 

The owners state it last carried passengers in 2015.

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